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cellphones
cellphones
(SA_Steve)
Don't Leave Your Phone In The Airplane Bathroom Or Someone Will Think It's A Bomb
By Chris Morran on April 16, 2012 4:40 PM
30 Comments
There once was a time when the worst thing that could happen if you accidentally left your phone in an airplane bathroom was that it might be stolen by a sticky-fingered passenger or crew member. But now, a phone in the loo could be a bomb, which means your plane is making an emergency landing and everyone on board will arrive late to their destination. More »
Here's How Much Law Enforcement Has To Pay To Snoop On Your Calls
By Phil Villarreal on April 9, 2012 9:00 AM
50 Comments
Back in December, a U.S. Appeals court gave the thumbs-up to telecommunications companies working with the National Security Agency to monitor phones and email. Phone companies are also apparently totally cool with selling access to your phone activities to other law enforcement agencies willing to fork over pre-set prices. More »
4 Ways To Slash Phone Expenses
By Phil Villarreal on April 5, 2012 11:15 AM
40 Comments
Your phone is not only a lifeline, entertainment device and communication portal to everyone you know, but it's also a siphon that sucks money out of you monthly. Phone companies are counting on you falling into complacency with paying for unneeded services. More »
Man Without Cellphone Ticketed For Talking On Cellphone While Driving
By Chris Morran on March 7, 2012 3:45 PM
96 Comments
We don't have a problem with police officers enforcing laws that prohibit people from driving and talking on their cellphones at the same time. Where we draw the line is at the application of this law to a man who didn't even have a cellphone in the car with him. More »
FCC Reminds Everyone That Cellphone Jamming & Jamming Devices Are Illegal
By Chris Morran on March 6, 2012 4:30 PM
57 Comments
Even while the Federal Communications Commission is asking for comments on the temporary blocking or disabling of wireless signals by law enforcement, it wants to stress to everyone that there is no legal gray area when it comes to cellphone jamming and jamming devices. More »
What Can Cops Look At On Your Phone Without A Warrant?
By Chris Morran on March 1, 2012 4:45 PM
85 Comments
Ten years ago, most of us had little more on our mobile phones than other phone numbers. Then cames texts, photos, video, web pages, passwords, credit card info, and most importantly Sudoku scores. But how much of that should be readily available to police if you are believed to have run afoul of the law? More »
Is The Philly Cellphone Jammer A Hero Or A Jerk?
By Chris Morran on March 1, 2012 12:15 PM
205 Comments
A man in Philadelphia decided he'd had enough with listening to his fellow bus passengers blab away on their cellphones. But instead of buying himself some noise-cancelling headphones or politely asking people to pipe down, he chose to fight back with a handheld device that jams their signals. More »
Have You Tried Swapping Your Wireless Plan With Someone Else? We Want To Hear From You
By Chris Morran on January 30, 2012 11:15 AM
56 Comments
We're constantly being asked for advice on how people can get out of cell phone contracts early without being knocked upside the noggin with a brass-knuckled early termination fee. More »
NTSB: You Shouldn't Be Using Your Cell Phone While Driving, Even Hands-Free
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 13, 2011 3:00 PM
154 Comments
The day could be coming when it would be illegal for that girl yapping on her headset in the lane next to you on the freeway to be yapping at all, even on a hands-free cell phone. The National Transportation Board said states should ban all cell phone use for drivers More »
(elle_emm)
Minneapolis Looking To Stop Cabbies From Using Cell Phones
By Chris Morran on November 30, 2011 3:30 PM
42 Comments
Most of us who've lived in major city for long enough have had those experiences of sitting in the backseat of a cab, irritated and possibly concerned by the driver's incessant yammering on his/her phone. Wouldn't it be nice if such distracting chit-chat was illegal? More »
Seattle-Area Theater Will Encourage Texting During Performances
By Phil Villarreal on November 29, 2011 9:00 AM
47 Comments
If you're the type of audience member who feels the need to make the performance a sideshow to your nonstop texting and social network updating, you might want to make plans to move to the Seattle area by 2014. A theater there that's slated to open that year will embrace technological obsession rather than discourage it, encouraging customers to text during shows. More »
Malls Cancel Plans To Track Shoppers' Movements Via Cellphone
By Maggie Shader on November 29, 2011 8:30 AM
63 Comments
Remember how two malls annoyed more than a few people by announcing that they would be tracking shoppers' movements via their cellphone signals? Yeah, well that's no longer happening — at least for now. More »
Malls To Track Shoppers' Movements Via Cellphone Signals This Holiday Season
By Chris Morran on November 22, 2011 3:15 PM
83 Comments
Because you as a shopper are nothing but a lab rat to be tracked, measured, quantified and dissected so that retailers can market to you in a more efficient manner, at least two malls will be using shoppers' cellphone signals to map out their routes from Sbarro to the Spencer Gifts to Chess King (okay okay... so I haven't been to the mall in a while). More »
AT&T Says Hackers Tried To Swipe Account Info
By Phil Villarreal on November 22, 2011 9:30 AM
13 Comments
According to AT&T, hackers tried to break into some users' accounts and make off with some private information. The company calls the attack an "organized and systematic attempt," but more importantly, a failure. More »
Android Reigns As King Of The Smartphone Hill
By Phil Villarreal on November 16, 2011 10:30 AM
92 Comments
Apple may be the media darling that grabs most of the headlines, but the sprawling monolith that is Android is the phone of the 99 percent. Or at least the 52.5 percent. Android devices garnered the majority of global market share in the third quarter, while the iOS market slipped from 16.6 to 15 percent in that span. Quickly-fading Symbian — the operating system for Nokia phones — plunged to 17 percent from 36.3 percent last year. More »
Deciding Whether Or Not To Insure A New Phone
By Phil Villarreal on November 15, 2011 9:30 AM
84 Comments
There are some hard and fast rules about what is and is not worth insuring. Blackjack hands in which the dealer is showing an ace — no. Cars — yes, as is required by law. Health — only if you don't want to go bankrupt. It's a trickier proposition when it comes to smartphones. More »
Reader Gets AT&T To Admit It's Their Towers That Suck, Not The iPhone
By Ben Popken on November 11, 2011 5:00 PM
49 Comments
Melissa couldn't get any reception around her home on her iPhone, despite living only 25 miles from downtown Chicago. Zero bars. It wasn't just annoying to always miss calls, it was also damaging her rental business. But thanks to a detailed, and snarky, email to the CEO of AT&T, she was able to get the wireless provider to reset its towers and fix the service around her house. More »
Verizon Class Action Settlement: Get Refunds For Accidentally Pressing "Get It Now" Button
By Ben Popken on November 4, 2011 2:00 PM
27 Comments
If Verizon "erroneously" charged you for accidentally pressing the "Get it Now" or "Mobile Web" buttons on your phone, you can file for a refund, thanks to a recent class action settlement. More »
Verizon To Offer "Turbo" Button To Users To Speed Up Apps, For A Price
By Ben Popken on November 3, 2011 10:00 AM
43 Comments
App on your Verizon phone going too slow? Just press the "turbo" button and get a temporary speed boost for $.99. That's the idea behind a new feature Verizon will be releasing to software developers in 2012. More »
What's Worse Than Missing A Cool Text? How About Involuntary Manslaughter?
By Ben Popken on November 2, 2011 5:00 PM
90 Comments
Pull over if you're driving and need to respond to or send a text message. Otherwise, that witty reply can wait. Because death won't. More »
